Looking for A More Durable E-reader

[alyxie]

My Kindle 3G just gave up the ghost after two years and I'm looking to replace it with something will last at least for 4-6 years. Some other things I would consider for buying an reader:

1. E-ink Screen
2. Responsiveness - how responsive is it, my Kindle can be quite unresponsive at times but bearable when it comes to indexing.
3. Stability - does it crash? how often? I don't like the fact that my Kindle crashed at least once a month even when it was brand new.
4. Book Organization - I hated Kindle's collections interface, I preferred organization by folders.
5. PDF loading - nice to have but not necessary since I'm thinking of buying a tablet for this feature or just using my phone

Any recommendations?

EDIT: If anyone has a functioning e-reader above 2 years I'd definitely be interested to hear about it. I've been reading the forums for e-readers but I haven't seen anything about age of e-readers.

[nausica]

Hello alyxie,
I will recommend you onyx firefly. It respond, almost, all of your requests..
Only the third I do not know, mine never did crash, and also considering that I own it only 3 days. :-)

[alyxie]

Originally Posted by nausica

Hello alyxie,
I will recommend you onyx firefly. It respond, almost, all of your requests..
Only the third I do not know, mine never did crash, and also considering that I own it only 3 days. :-)

Thanks for the quick response. I'm definitely consider it.

[AnneT]

I had a BeBook for two years, but recently purchased an Onyx (not Nausika's Firefly, but the i62HD), and I truly love it...

[dakini]

Kobo's got all that ... its "shelves" feature is what would be the "folders" you mention. you can place a book in multiple shelves.

as for the time-length durability, i'll be honest that i don't think any company's making a machine they intend to still be working 4-6 years from now. if you can get 6 years out of an ereader, that's great, but i don't think anything past about 2 is what they plan on.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by alyxie

My Kindle 3G just gave up the ghost after two years and I'm looking to replace it with something will last at least for 4-6 years.
[..]
EDIT: If anyone has a functioning e-reader above 2 years I'd definitely be interested to hear about it. I've been reading the forums for e-readers but I haven't seen anything about age of e-readers.

Ebook readers haven't really been around long enough to have a good idea about longevity. The Kindle 1 only came out five years ago.

How did the 3G die? Broken screen or dead electronics? I have a Kindle 2i still going that's about three years old, and a Sony 505 that's between 3-4 years old.

My dead ebook readers have all died from a broken screen. The only one I know that's currently available that should avoid this is the Wexler Flex One, but it's expensive and not widely available.

[jbcohen]

I too had an older kindle with issues. It died an hard death on the way to work, in the middle of a rather exciting part of a novel after a year and a half. My current kindle is a new kindle five that I had to run about town looking for something I could get in my hands now. I want to make sure the next time anything dies that I can take my time about upgrading, thus to this end I have a backup Simple Touch Nook. I don't like my simple touch as well as my kindle, however I probably should have waited for a new kindle paperwhite, I could really use the book light, I read in the dark all the time. However in the words of a former president "I fell your pain."

[Agama]

Originally Posted by alyxie

If anyone has a functioning e-reader above 2 years I'd definitely be interested to hear about it. I've been reading the forums for e-readers but I haven't seen anything about age of e-readers.

My Sony PRS-300 is over 2 years old and still going strong.

Sony readers have good collections management on them but you don't get organisation by folder - which seems a bit odd as it does appear on Sony MP3 players.

My Sony does a fair job with PDF files including a text reflow mode. It's not perfect, (the page header/footer can get embedded in the text), but quite useable. Maybe it's been improved on more recent Sony readers, but I can't tell as I haven't had a hands on one.

[AnemicOak]

eInk readers I have that are still going stong after 2 or more years...

Kindle 3 3G+WiFi
Kindle 2us
Cybook Opus
Sony 505

If you want something with folders you'll need to look at manufacturers like Bookeen, Onyx and PocketBook. None of the readers from the likes of Amazon, B&N, Kobo or Sony do actual folders.

[RCR]

Originally Posted by alyxie

EDIT: If anyone has a functioning e-reader above 2 years I'd definitely be interested to hear about it. I've been reading the forums for e-readers but I haven't seen anything about age of e-readers.

I bought my Sony 505 in December 2007. The case is battered and the marking on the page forward button is worn away. But the screen is pristine and the device still works perfectly. I suspect the battery is fading. I re-charge every couple of days anyway, so I don't really notice.

I bought a back-up in 2009 when Sony stopped making this model. The back-up is still sitting in a cupboard, unused. I've got no idea what more current versions of the Sony are like.

[gurion]

I've bought Sony PRS-300 and PRS-505 new about 4 years ago. I absolutely loved smaller size of 300. Over a year ago I upgraded it to PRS-350 for even smaller footprint, better screen and touch control. It's all and everything I need in ereader. Already acquared a 2nd PRS-350 for a backup, and I'm set for time being. The older PRS-505 still being used at home by family, and that reader works very well still.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by Agama

My Sony PRS-300 is over 2 years old and still going strong.

Sony readers have good collections management on them but you don't get organisation by folder - which seems a bit odd as it does appear on Sony MP3 players.

My BBMini is also over 3 years old and still going strong. And that one has a true folder system. I don't like the collection management of the Sony at all. It doesn't support sup collections.

I must say, I didn't look at the newer readers for some time as I have two that are still in perfect working condition: my 5" BeBook Mini and the 6" Sony PRS650.


Edit: just checked the introduction date of the BeBook Mini, which was in 2009. Which means I already have it for 3 years!

[susan_cassidy]

My Kindle 1 is still going strong after 4 and a half years.

[ProfCrash]

K1, K3, and DXG going strong here. (shrugs) Never had issues with rebooting or the like. I probably shouldn't say the Kindle 1 is going strong, I have not turned it on in a year but the last time I did, it worked fine.

The reality is that most of these are being made and replaced so quickly that I doubt you are going to find too many people using the same device in five years.

The PDF capability on all of them is poor, PDF just doesn't render well on a 6 inch screen. Collections/Folders/and the like are all going to be slightly problematic and very much a matter of personal taste. I am fine with collections, it was easy enough to set up in a way that made sense to me.

[Rizla]

The newer and cheaper the device is, the lower its longevity. It's a side-effect of the price-war. At least that is true of the big players. Either got something other than one of them, or getting an older model. IMO the 650 (with Prs+) was the best e-reader ever made.